The present description relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to adapting the behavior of mobile devices based on observed mobility trends. Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, space and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple mobile devices. Base stations may communicate with mobile devices on downstream and upstream links. Each base station has a coverage range, which may be referred to as the coverage area of the cell.
When a mobile device connected to a base station of a first cell moves out of the coverage area of the first cell, the first cell typically requests signal strength measurements for all neighboring cells of the mobile device for use in identifying a handover target candidate. These signal strength measurements and reports may consume power, thereby reducing the battery life of the mobile device. Additionally, these signal strength measurements and reports may introduce delays into the handover process, thereby increasing the likelihood that a call or connection is lost during the handover. In addition, significant signaling resources are used in communicating the measurement requests and reports between the base stations and the mobile device before and during the handover process. Generally, handover or reselection related measurements and reports may utilize generic or predefined mobility parameters that may not account for varying conditions as the mobile device changes location.
While a mobile device in idle mode (i.e. a mode where the device is camping on the cell and not actively communicating information with the base station) does not communicate measurements to the network, the mobile device may still monitor signal strength from neighboring cells so as to identify good candidates for reselection. This monitoring may consume a significant percentage of the mobile device's power consumption.